Being in Costa Rica was an amazing experience that has really shown me what a beautiful country it is. During our trip, I met so many great, friendly people and saw so much natural beauty there it was just impossible to not fall in love with the place. It was difficult at first to adjust to the new culture we found ourselves in, but soon enough, we found that navigating our way through life in Costa Rica became almost second nature.
The people in Costa Rica are generally very helpful and nice, with the notable exception of when it comes to driving. Besides that though, the cultural atmosphere there is rather peaceful, with many Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they are commonly called, taking a relaxed approach to life. This could at times be a point of annoyance, however, as this laidback attitude includes the concept of “tico time,” a phrase that describes the Costa Rican habit of running late. Nevertheless, I have a fond place in my heart for tico time thanks to how it encouraged me to slow down more and go with the flow, allowing me to greater enjoy the short amount of time I had in Costa Rica.
Some of the cool things we got to do on our trip were zip-lining, swimming at a waterfall, hiking, touring the city, and going to the beach. There was also the business side of things in which we toured both a coffee and a chocolate company where we got to learn about the history of their respective products and see how each is made. One of my favorite businesses we got to see though, was the toucan rescue ranch. It was so neat to meet all these unique animals, learn how the ranch has gotten by so far, and hear the managers’ plans for the future. I hope for nothing but the best for the businesses we visited as they all seemed to have so much potential and looked to be on the right path moving forward!